The Person
The person must be a full member of the College of Paramedics, have experience representing others, attending meetings, completing actions and communicating with groups of people and have attended CPD sessions of various types.
It will be essential for the person to have knowledge of the type of work undertaken by the College of Paramedics, and an understanding of the prominent issues that currently face the paramedic profession.
The person will be prepared to commit on average 6-8 hours per week to this vital role as well as attending regular meetings. Being a representative on the Council means being able to commit to a number of activities and responsibilities. Representatives must be able, and willing, to give time to ensuring that College activities and services appropriately address the needs of the members and the profession.
There must be a personal commitment to the aims and ethos of the College of Paramedics and ensuring good relationships with external organisations, acting to maintain the professional reputation of the College of Paramedics, at all times.
This role requires personal insight with regards to values and behaviours and the impact on others, an ability to think strategically and skills in building relationships and creating a shared vision.
This person will be a role model for others, acting with integrity, positivity, energy and compassion to inspire those around them to achieve their full potential.
As a member of the Paramedic Council of the College of Paramedics, the person should ensure the obligations and responsibilities of their representative role, outlined below, are met accordingly.
The Principles
In order to ensure robust governance, transparent decision-making, good judgement and professional conduct the College of Paramedics expects the President to embody the Seven Principles of Public Life in all that they do. These principles mean that the person should act with selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
The Seven Principles of Public Life
Selflessness
Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
Integrity
Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.
Objectivity
Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
Accountability
Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
Openness
Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.
Honesty
Holders of public office should be truthful.
Leadership
Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and be willing to challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.
Source: GOV.UK The Seven Principles of Public Life
It is the vision of the College to inspire and enable all paramedics to participate in the profession within an environment based on safety, collegiality, inclusiveness, mental & physical wellbeing and innovation.
The College of Paramedics is committed to:
Diversity
The presence, recognition and celebration of difference within the organisation and the profession
Equity
Identifying and working to eliminate barriers to fair treatment in access, opportunity and advancement for all, through systematic changes within the organisation
Belonging
Every individual is welcomed and feels they are an integral part of our profession and that they are represented at all levels of the organisation
Wellbeing
Physical, mental, social, spiritual, intellectual and economic wellness for all
The College of Paramedics expects trustees to commit to the eight principles to address the diversity deficit in charity leadership.
The Eight Principles to Address the Diversity Deficit in Charity Leadership
1. Acknowledge that there is a problem with racial diversity in the charity sector, including the College of Paramedics, and commit to working to change that.
2. Recognise the important role leaders have in creating change by modelling positive behaviour and taking action.
3. Learn about racial and other bias and how it impacts leadership decisions.
4. Commit to setting permanent and minimum targets for diversity that reflects the participants, donors, beneficiaries and the population of the area that my charity operates in.
5. Commit to action and invest resources, where necessary, in order to improve racial and other diversity in my charity.
6. View staff as the sum of many parts rather than a single entity and recruit to build a diverse group of talented people collectively working towards a shared vision.
7. Recruit for potential, not perfection.
8. Value lived experience, the ability to draw from one’s lived experience and to bring insights to an organisation that can develop its work.
Source: These eight principles have been adapted by the College of Paramedics from the eight principles to address the diversity deficit in charity leadership by ACEVO
The Purpose
The Member Representative, as a member of the Paramedic Council, will contribute to the work of the Council ensuring that College activities and services appropriately address the needs of the members and the profession. The member representative is the voice of the members in their region/nation/sector, articulating, and advocating for, the College perspective. Collecting themes, trends and views, to help the Council play an instrumental part in ensuring strategy is developed and delivered with the membership interests at its core.
The Paramedic Council
The Paramedic Council is the collective voice for the members and the communities they represent, ensuring that the members are present in the College vision and strategic direction. The Council plays a dynamic role in leading and shaping the College’s ongoing work and future aspirations.
Each representative should take an active part in progressing the activities of the Council via meetings and emails, through engagement with their members, and by undertaking agreed tasks in between Council meetings.
To make an appropriate, effective contribution each Member Representative should:
- Attend Council meetings, which will be held every quarter and the location of which will change in acknowledgement of the national spread of Council members
- Read and be familiar with the Articles of Association and be aware of the strategic aims of the College and how its work should be conducted
- Be familiar with the structure of the College, how it functions as an organisation, and how it is funded
- Be aware of the current state of its finances by reading the latest annual report and accounts, and financial reports submitted by the Board
- Be involved, as appropriate, in additional committee or working group meetings (these may be virtual meetings)
- Take an active and constructive part in the Council discussions and decision making, and accept a fair share of the responsibilities of conducting the business of the Council
- Use e-mail and other communication methods between Council meetings to:
- continue to discharge the accepted responsibilities
- keep Council members informed of progress in actions taken
- keep informed of the progress of work undertaken by other Council members
- Only stand for a second term as a Member Representative, if they have the time and ability to continue to undertake the responsibilities of the post
- Keep within the agreed limits of expenditure for the tasks they are responsible for and keep personal, reclaimable expenses to a minimum
- Conduct all College business in a professional manner to assist in the promotion of the aims and objectives of the College and its members
- Contribute to the Council’s support, guidance and mentorship of the Student Council
- Maintain effective working relationships with other Member Representatives and College staff
As a Member Representative the responsibilities are as follows:
Be an advocate for members:
- Work towards increasing membership
- Establish, maintain or coordinate a member group, in their region/sector, that will assist in fulfilling the responsibilities listed here
- Promote high levels of regional/sector engagement and collaboration with members
- Have an overview of College Liaison numbers and engagement within their region/sector
- Build capacity within the membership to support future succession for the position of Member Representative and support and nurture any members new to the role
- Work with and support the Student Council representative in their region
- Work with the CPD Team to ensure the provision of regular relevant CPD events for members or assist members to access CPD provided by others. Aim to deliver four small/evening (30-50 delegates) CPD sessions and one larger (60-80 delegates) CPD events per year, utilising virtual platforms were appropriate to increase participation
- Update the CPD Team with numbers of attendees at CPD events
- Represent the views and issues that are raised by their members to the Council, bringing themes and trends from their members to Council meetings
- Ensure the regional/sector information areas on the College website are appropriate and accurate and provide regular updates of activity or news items
Be an advocate of the College:
- Work with the Marketing Manager and the College liaisons to ensure the provision of consistent messages to colleagues and others
- Act as an expert resource locally and nationally offering opinion and support to the members and wider profession
- Promote the College, and its aims and objectives to colleagues and local stakeholder bodies, utilising a variety of methods of communication
- Build the College’s reputation within employing organisations, establishing effective relationships to develop the profession, in order to meet the future demands of healthcare provision
- Promote the adoption of the College’s Career Framework, Paramedic and Post-Graduate Curriculum Guidance and Scope of Practice documents
- Advocate for the College of Paramedics amongst its members and the profession
- Explore new and progressive ways of promoting the value of the profession
The above list is indicative only and not exhaustive. A Member Representative will be expected to perform all such additional duties as are reasonably commensurate with the role.